Tiger Woods 2013 US Open
Fourteen-time major champion Tiger Woods is the heavy favorite at the 2013 U.S Open, held this year at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. Reuters

[UPDATE 11:43 a.m EDT] According to the Golf Channel, play at the U.S. Open will resume at 12:10 p.m. Eastern.

Fans may have to wait a few more hours for the 113th U.S. Open to get into full swing.

First-round play was suspended at Merion GC Thursday by PGA tour officials at 8:36 p.m. Eastern due to severe weather that has enraptured the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states.

According to the hourly updated forecast, scattered thunderstorms will run until around noon in Ardmore, Pa., with a three hour window open until more heavy rain and lightning is expected.

Three-time U.S. Open champion Tiger Woods was scheduled to tee-off at 1:14 p.m. with Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, and Masters winner Adam Scott. Woods is ranked No. 1 in the world and tops the tour money list, but hasn’t won a major since the 2008 U.S. Open.

The 37-year-old Woods has had to duck questions about when he will end is major drought and a feud with Spain’s Sergio Garcia. At a tour awards show in last month, Garcia said he would have Woods over for dinner and serve fried chicken.

Before those comments, Garcia called Woods out for purposefully inciting the Masters crowd in order to distract him. Woods denied it, but ever since the pair’s rocky, non-relationship has been in the spotlight.

Garcia is one of many players that already began play Thursday, but was cut short.

American Phil Mickelson was another who’s day might have ended early. The 42-year-old has won the U.S. Open five times, the last coming in 2009. But Mickelson has had an inconsistent year, finishing 54th at the Masters, and missing the cut at the Players Championship last month. He’s currently at even par in a tie for 12th on the leaderboard.

ESPN’s coverage of the event began at 9 a.m. Eastern time, and a live online stream can be viewed at Watch ESPN here.

From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern The Golf Channel will have live coverage, which can be watched at NBC Live Extra here.

ESPN’s coverage will then pick up again from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern.